John McConnell Sr. (1755 - 1822)

Biography

Private John McConnell Sr. served with Rowan County Regiment, North Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed Aug 21, 2017), "Record of John McConnell", Ancestor # A075497. John McConnell, born about 1757, was a Revolutionary War soldier and lived in Rowan County, North Carolina, the part that became Iredell County in 1788.

His father, William died in 1772. On May 8, 1790, John McConnell, orphan of William McConnell, being of lawful age, did chloose David Woodson his guardian.^[1]

Children

The children of John and Mary were:

1. William Walter McConnell (1783-?) (Mentioned in the Will.)
2. Margaret (McConnell) Piles (Mentioned in the Will.)
3. John Dobbins McConnell, Jr. (who served in War of 1812 from Iredell Co.) (1788-1872) (Mentioned in the Will.)
4. Jane (McConnell) Peeks (Mentioned in the Will.)
5. Eliza McConnell (Mentioned in the Will.)
6. Esther McConnell (Easter mentioned in the Will.)
7. Mary McConnell (Polly mentioned in the Will.)
8. Andrew McConnell (Mentioned in the Will.)
9. Isabella McConnell (Mentioned in the Will.)
10. Tinah McConnell (Linah mentioned in the Will.)
11. Tirzah Keziah "Turzy" McConnell (1805-1871) (Mentioned in the Will.)
12. Sally McConnell (Mentioned in the Will.)
13. James Elbert McConnell (1799-after 1880) (Mentioned in the Will.)

His will lists the following children living: "Wife Polly. Children at home: Betsey, Easter, Polly, Andrew, Isabell, Linah, Turzy, Sally, Elbert. Children left home: Walter, Margaret Piles, John D., Jane Peeks. Executor: Wife, Polly, Witness: Richard White, Jurat.

Revolutionary War Service

Service Record: Rowan County Regiment; start: 1779; end: 1781; Rowan County Regiment: 1779, a Private under Capt. Jacob Nichols and Col. Francis Locke. 1781, a Private under Capt. Abel Armstrong, attached to Maj. Joseph McDowell (Burke County Regiment). Battles: Cowpens (SC).^[2]

In December, he entered the war as a volunteer under Capt. Jacob Nichols (Nichols was the adjacent neighbor to the McConnells) and Gen. (Griffith) Rutherford (who was related to McConnells of Pennsylvania). They attacked the British sloops of war as they attempted to come up the Savannah River and prevented their landing.^[3]

At enlistment, he was listed as having married to Mary "Polly" Dobbins, daughter of John Dobbins (or Dobyns) on 22 Mar 1782 and died in about 11 Apr 1822. They had been married in Rowan County March 22, 1782 by David Caldwell, JP (captain in the Revolution). All early marriage licenses and bonds of Iredell before 1858 were burned by the register of deeds to make room for new records. Known as the "courthouse fire," but the courthouse didn't burn, just the marriage records.

A search of our D.A.R. Patriot Index provided the information found below:

• Birth: NC Before (ante) 1755
• Service: NC
• Rank: Sol
• Death: NC 11 Apr 1822
• Patriot Pensioned: No Widow Pensioned: Yes
• Children Pensioned: No Heirs Pensioned: Yes Spouse: (1) Mary Dobbins

Land and Tax Records

In 1787, John McConnell received a state grant of 50 shillings/100 a., 300 acres on Rockey Creek next to (Richard) Rimington and Cowden. In 1800, John McConnell, (black) smith, is listed in the tax records with 300 acres, valued at $300, 1 barn, 40 X 18, smith shop, 1 slave. 1815 Tax, Capt. Moody's Co. John McConnell Tan: 1WP, 100 a. valued at $150.

In 1787, there was a land grant to William McConnell on Rocky Creek for 50 shillings - 100 acres to William McConnell, 640 acres on Rocky Creek adjoining John McConnell & Cowden's old lines. Rowan Co., NC. In 1787 a land grant to John for 50 shillings - 300 acres to John McConnell on Rocky Creek adjoining Rimmington and Cowden. Rowan Co., NC. It is unclear if this is our John, but in 1790, May 08 Court: John McConnell, orphan of William McConnell, being of lawful age, chose David Woodson his guardian. Security: James Brandon. Rowan Co., NC.

In 1800, John McConnell was listed as a blacksmith with 4 houses valued at $60. He had 300 acres valued at $300. There were two John McConnell's living in Iredell County at the same time. Our John lived in the northern part and the other John McConnell lived in the southern part.

John McConnel's land entry in 1778 called for a Meeting House Branch of the Presbyterian Church near the present site of the Tabor Church on the ridge between Rocky Creek and Little Dutchman's Creek.^[4]

Death

John McConnell died in Iredell County April 11, 1822. From those certifying to his service, it must be that he lived in the Snow Creek locality and one may assume is buried there, though so far as known he is without a headstone.^[5]

Pension

Mary applied for a widow's pension on 7 Jun 1844 in Iredell County, North Carolina, aged 84. Accompanying the application of Mrs. McConnell was a letter from William F. Cowan at Snow Creek, Iredell County, dated May 6, 1854, and the testimony of Hugh Andrew, native of Rowan but resident of Iredell, as reported by the clerk of court, J.F. Alexander, to this effect: "This credible and respectable witness, being duly sworn, certified that he was acquainted with John McConnell, who was reputed and believed to have been a soldier of the Revolution. He knew that McConnell was in the militia two or more terms of three months after Andrew became acquainted with him, and he always believed that McConnell had been in the service before that. (Hugh Andrew was born in Rowan, but grew up in Orange Co., NC. At the time of the Regulators' revolt in Orange c. 1771, he fled with another Regulator back to the Rowan property owned by his parents.)

Andrew was also acquainted with the widow, Mary McConnell, who was the daughter of John Dobbins, and he was present at her wedding. The ceremony was performed by Col. David Caldwell at the house of one Reid (several Reids lived near the McConnell settlement on Hunting and Rockey creeks) in the spring of 1782. Mr. Andrew stated that he lived within four miles of them at that time and even afterwards, up to the death of John McConnell. They maintained a respectable standing in society, Mr. Andrew testified, and raised several children. His first acquaintance with them began in 1780 and they always maintained a character for strict veracity. Percival Campbell witnessed Mary McConnell's signature. He had known the family sixty years. At this time, 1854, two children were living - James E. and a daughter, Sally."

In the fall of 1845, she had moved to Caldwell Co., Kentucky where she applied for BLW on 2 Jun 1855. S. McConnell was a witness to the children's affidavit, in 1854. John Dobbins, a nephew of soldier's widow was of Murfreesboro, Tennessee..

There was a War Pension Application by Mary Dobbins McConnell: "I, Mary McConnell, of said county aged from my best information, about 96 years, do make the following: ' I am the widow of John McConnell, deceased, who was in his lifetime a soldier in the service of the United States in the War of the Revolution. He served in the South Carolina troops in said War. Several years ago while I lived in Rowan County, North Carolina, I made an application for pension as his widow and which application was granted. I renewed my application from this county last year and am now a pensioner of the United States in the Kentucky Agency (?) as the widow of said John McConnell under the Act (?) of July 7th (and extensions)______1838 at the rate of $26 per year. The said John McConnell died in Iredell County North Carolina on (or about) the __day of March AD 1822 leaving me his widow since which time. I have never married again but I am still the widow of said John McConnell. For proof of the service and death of John McConnell and of my marriage to him I refer to the proof on which my above named pension was granted at that is the best proof known to me on that point. I was married to said John McConnell in Rowan County in the state of North Carolina (on or about 0 the 22nd day of March AD 1782 by one David Caldwell a Justice of the peace and my name before said marriage was Mary Dobbins. I make the declaration for the purpose of receiving the ______of the county land not of _______ approved March 3rd 1855. Words ' about 96 years' were in her hand before signing. Witness my hand in Caldwell County Kentucky on this 2nd day of June AD 1855. I have never before applied and received the benefit of this in any other ____. Signed with an X "Mary McConnell." Affidavit of James E McConnell and Sally E McConnell both of Caldwell County Kentucky aged respectively forty one and forty seven years: "We the undersigned above ".

A document from Iredell County North Carolina says: "entered the service in what was then called Rowan County NC as a volunteer in the month of December 1779...served under General Rutherford's command by Captain Jacob Nickols. Under whose command they attacked the British Troops of War as they attempted to come into what was then called Savannah River and prevented them from landing and finally succeeded in getting their ships. and that afterwards he was draughted under General Morgan Commanded by Capt. Able Armstrong and was gone to his certain knowledge three months during which time he was at the battle of Cowpens and was engaged in the battle and that after the Americans gained the duty he assisted in guarding Heads of the British army. They had taken prisoners to the Island ford on the Catawta River in Rowan County NC where they (the prisoners) were delivered up to General Morgan and that he then returned to his mother's _____in what was then called Rowan County North Carolina in the month of February in the year seventeen hundred and eighty one." "... the aforementioned John McConnell died on the 11th day of April 1822." Signed on March 17 1854... Caldwell county KY by "Miss Sally E McConnell and James E McConnell aged respectively 46 and 40 years..." " ... sent some money... in the year 1846 about a year after we moved here..." we have no interest in the result of her application ....except that as her children we are solicitous that she shall obtain what we believe to her just dues".

Sources

1. ↑ security James Brandon (300), #FamilySearch.com
2. ↑ #Lewis
3. ↑ #Pay, #RevWar, #DAR, #Lewis
4. ↑ page 185 #Keever
5. ↑ #Death

• "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2M-98L : accessed 21 August 2017), John Mcconnell Sr, Iredell, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 388, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 7; FHL microfilm 568,147.
• "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (Link: accessed 21 August 2017), John Mcconnell, Salisbury, Iredell, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 622, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 29; FHL microfilm 337,905.
• Iredell Piedmont County, by Homer M. Keever, with illustrations by Louise Gilbert and maps by Mildred Jenkins Miller, published for the Iredell County Bicentennial Commission by Brady Printing Company from type set by the Statesville Record and Landmark, copyright, November 1976, see Iredell, Piedmont County
• The McConnell families of Davidson's Creek settlement, Iredell County, North Carolina, 1748-1982, Link, Author: Joel P McConnell; Publisher: Mooresville, N.C. (769 E. Center, Mooresville 28115) : J.P. McConnell, 1983>
• John McConnel in Abstracts of Rev War Pension Files, pp 2253-2254
• Church Record, John McConnell, death 11 May 1822
• "North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/Q2WT-LK1Q : accessed 21 August 2017), John Mc Connel, 30 Sep 1791; citing North Carolina, United States, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh.
• John McConnell: FamilySearch Person: LHJN-ZJZ
• J.D. Lewis, Rev War Database, John McConnell
• Widows pension for John McConnell 7.jpg
• https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000058776903885